U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,755, which issued on May 4, 1982, to Robert A. Endelson, one of the present inventors, discloses a thin, flat, dental floss dispenser in a credit card format which permits the dispenser to be conveniently carried in a wallet, shirt pocket, purse or the like. The dispenser included a base panel in which there is a shallow well defined by a peripheral ridge. A supply of dental floss in flatened form is located in the well with its leading end passing out of an aperture in a face panel which is secured to the ridge which defines the well.
The floss is severed by a blade which is located in an edge notch formed in the base panel. The blade may assume a number of forms, one being a lug pressed up from a plate located in a rectangular edge notch, and the other being a conventional blade exposed by a triangular edge notch. The presence of either edge notch presents problems in sealing the face panel to the base.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a dispenser in a credit card format retaining all of the advantages of the prior dispenser but which is easier to manufacture.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new cutting blade assembly and means for securing it within the dispenser.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide better means for storing the floss within the dispenser and for withdrawing the floss from the supply.